BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
on the history of the WWII 327/401 Glider Infantry
Most information below was
taken from the book SKY RIDERS by James Lee McDonough and Richard S. Gardner.
Unfortunately, one of the few books written about
the glidermen of WWII who were looked upon by some as not good enough to be
paratroopers but crazy enough to have a coffin for a ride!!
Instead, these men deserve our utmost respect. By making more information available
on these glider infantry heroes in their airplanes without engines, we try to
honor them in the best way we know.
This summary will concentrate on
the 401-part of the Glider Regiment as a prelude to three stories told by the
son of Benny Cohen (401 B Co) about his father.
Mike wrote: "My Father, Benny Cohen, was a soldier in the 401 B. Benny
was a very modest and quiet man but always talked about his war time experiences
while fighting in Holland and the Netherlands. He had a special place in his
heart for the Dutch and always felt that he was privileged to have been able
to contribute to the liberation of such wonderful people and their country.
My Father died 12 years ago, so on his behalf I would like to sincerely thank
you for remembering those brave young men !"
Thank you Mike, for sharing with us. These pages are dedicated to the memory
of your Dad and his comrades-in-arms.
Copyright and publishing rights
on photos are mentioned - should you find any incorrect material, please let
us know.
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401
In August 1942, the US 82nd Airborne
Division is split, and a new Airborne Division - the 101st is formed. In the
process, some already trained paratroop regiments
are added to the two newly formed divisions. The majority of these men, who
were not parachutists, would become glidermen. Those who might not wish to ride
in
a glider could ask for a transfer.
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph H. Harper,
at the time a battalion commander in the 326 Infantry Regiment, was selected
to command the 401 Glider Regiment. When asked what he thought about that, Harper
replied that he would like to be a regimental commander but that, unfortunately,
he did not know anything about gliders.
"Well", Brigadier General Donald F. Pratt commented, "nobody
else does either!".
Colonel George S. Wear was selected
to lead the 327. As the two regiments progressed in their training, a sense
of esprit de corps developed. The 327, having been in
World War I, had a tradition of which it could be proud. The 401, as a new regiment,
had to make its own.
Glidermen were different from the
parachutists. They were predominantly draftees, not volunteers, like the paratroopers.
Nor did they receive extra pay or jump boots,
compensations that were matters of great pride among parachutists. Glidermen
were required to wear canvas leggings. Most of the glidermen were older than
the
parachutists, generally in their late twenties or early thirties. Many were
married and fathers. Colonel Harper came to believe that these factors gave
the glidermen
an advantage - that his troops were more likely to fight rationally and effectively
than some of the younger, wilder, and more impulsive paratroops.
A paratrooper received $ 55 per month extra as hazardous duty pay. The glidermen received nothing extra. One of the promotion posters read: "No flight pay, no jump pay, but never a dull moment!" It wasn't until after the Normandy invasion, when glider troops suffered heavier casualties per unit in the direct assault than parachutists, that flight pay was authorized.
During training and maneuvers in
the hills of Tennesse and Kentucky, Colonel Harper earned his nickname "Dig
them Deeper, Bud", after inspecting the foxholes of the 401 soldiers. In
March 1944, the 401 was split up in order to make a battalion available for
the 82nd Airborne Division. This was to be 2nd Battalion.
1st Battalion would frequently serve with the 327 - it would come in by sea
with the 4th Infantry Division during D-Day, due to the fact that there were
too few gliders available for the Division. It was a great disappointment to
the glidermen.
(photo: reproduction pastel drawing by F/O Dale Oliven)
At the start of Operation Market-Garden, September 1944, the 327 and 401 would constitute the Division reserve, commetted wherever reinforcements were most needed. They were airlifted on D plus 1, September 18 1944. 178 gliders landed at Zon (spelled Son nowadays), The Netherlands, at 1530 hours, another 80 gliders in the afternoon of the 19th. The 401 was sent to reinforce at Best and Veghel where fierce fighting went on to safeguard the main road of advance, nicknamed Hell's Highway.
Instead of pulling out the Airborne regiments, they were moved up North to relieve British troops on the front lines in an are between the rivers Waal and Neder Rijn, nicknamed The Island. They would set a new record of 72 days for continuous service in the front lines.
In November '44 the unit was moved by trucks to Mourmelon, France - a rest area. It wasn't to last long as on the 16th of December Hitler launched the greatest offensive of the war in the west since the spring of 1940. Moving out of Mourmelon on the 18th of December, the 101st was in a hurry to stop the gap. Supplies were short - hardly any winter gear was to be had. It wa on the snowbound, gently rolling hills around the little Belgian town of Bastogne that the 327 and the 401 were about to render their greatest fighting-stand during WWII.